


Name - AU Request

by eliniel



Category: Final Fantasy XIV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-06
Updated: 2019-09-06
Packaged: 2020-10-11 05:00:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 825
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20540510
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eliniel/pseuds/eliniel
Summary: When Emet-Selch first shows up at the Crystarium to greet the Scions, his true name spills from the Warrior of Light's mouth.





	Name - AU Request

**Author's Note:**

> Request from tumblr. It's pretty short, sorry.

As I stood near the entrance to the Crystal Tower, watching the inhabitants of the city. In the setting sun, the people had started packing up shop for the evening, off to their homes to spend time with their families. 

I smiled, watching the bustling activity taper off.

It felt good to know that these people appreciated the work my companions and I had put forth for their sake. 

I watched a mother point the colors of the sky out to her young child, both of them amazed at the vibrancy it had to offer. I felt a small twinge of sadness that in the last hundred years, not a single person on the first knew what a setting sun looked like. Oh, how I had taken it for granted, the ability to look up at the night sky every night and admire the stars. 

The Scions were talking amongst themselves, though, as I continued observing, a small, content smile on my face. This was a dangerous job, but if this is what I was doing it for- so the people of the First could _live_...I’d gladly do it.

Mere moments later, though, it was as if everyone had disappeared. The buzz of movement around me had all but faded, and besides the exchange of words by my friends, all I could hear were approaching footfalls, the soft squeak of leather boots coming up behind us.

I furrowed my brow, tilting my head to the side. I turned, slowly, wary of our new guest.

“You certainly took your time,” he started, a smirk on his face. He looked...familiar? No, I hadn’t ever seen him before. “I had half resolved to complete the task myself.”

My friends’ conversation died down at his words and they all spun around to face him. The intruder stopped a couple yalms away from us, purposefully keeping his distance as he surveyed the group.

“And you are?” Alisaie asked, politely, though cautious. Urianger thrust his hand out in front of her, narrowing his eyes at him. 

“Were one to study the annals of Garlean history, one would find yonder visage on many a page, though by rights its youth should long since have faded.”

The man’s smile widened at being recognized. 

“Well, well, we have a historian in our midst. That spares me a length explanation.” 

I chewed on the inside of my mouth, still trying to figure out _how_ I knew him. 

“I am Solus zos Galvus, founding father of the Garlean Empire.”

I took a step back, my mouth falling open. S-Solus zos-...what? But he was-

Was that where I knew him from? History books?

No…In all the books he was depicted as an old man in heavy armor…

“As for my true identity…” He lifted his hand, slowly running it down the length of his face. A glyph appeared- He bowed at the waist, his smirk deepening even further. An- “Ascian.”

The scions responded quickly, reaching for their weapons. 

“Gaius spoke of you-”

Their words faded from my mind as the conversation continued floating around me. Something about the sky being restored...in...furtiating…Static filled my head, my vision melting in front of me.

Something in my chest opened up. I couldn’t stop the flood...flashes of a past life, though I could not seem to touch them to _truly_ remember…

I put a hand to my head. It wasn’t painful- but confusing. I couldn’t sort out anything I was seeing, the images and words passing me by so fast and the only thing I could catch was a whisper of a name.

A new name. An old name. A name that hadn’t been uttered in millenia. A name that could change everything.

His...name?

_Hades._

The conversation shuddered to a stop around me as the static faded from my mind. Everyone was staring at me.

Had I...said that out loud?

What had I said again? A name? I couldn’t…

With a sigh, I lowered my hand from my face.

“Are you alright?” Minifilia asked, taking a step towards me. I blinked, trying to clear the residual fog from my eyes, trying to make sense of what I had just witnessed. What had I seen? Why? 

I looked toward the Ascian. Because of him?

The feeling of familiarity refused to go away. His face...those eyes…

He was watching me, curiously, arms crossed over his chest, his theatrics paused for the moment, his smirk seemingly gone.

He narrowed his eyes at me, his gaze almost intimidating. I wanted to shrink back, but I stood my ground. I couldn’t let an _Ascian_ see my weaknesses, no matter how familiar he seemed. 

He raised an eyebrow at whatever expression he saw on my face, one side of his mouth tugging upward.

“Well,” Emet-Selch began, his voice full of arrogance, though I caught a hint of surprise under his facade. “This changes things, doesn’t it?”


End file.
